According to the Bell Policy Center, over 32,000 working families in Denver earn below the federal poverty line of $14,824 each year for a family of three. With the current housing market skyrocketing, affordable housing is not just necessary, it is crucial. The most recent Adams County Needs Assessment identified affordable housing as a priority community need.
With the help of an anonymous seed contributor, who challenged Growing Home to identify additional partners and do something, we responded to the housing crisis by purchasing and rehabilitating a dilapidated 20-unit apartment building (the Westchester Apartments). Growing Home designated 16 units for permanent affordable housing with supportive services, with rent based on the families’ income, and reserved four units as Transformational Housing. Transformational units offer the opportunity for families moving out of homelessness to transform their lives and achieve independence and wellbeing. For example, one single mom plans to return to school to complete the last 18 credits for her bachelors degree and become a teacher. This two year program subsidizes the families’ rent based on their income, with a full-time commitment to work or school or a combination of both. Intensive case management services help families access needed resources and stay on top of their goals.
